Combined lunch box, table, and bench



R. SCHAEFER COMBINED- LUNCH BOX, TABLE, AND BENCH Feb. 27, 2923.

Filed Nov.

4, 1921 2 sheets-sheet 1 fed/4M4, W

m, 3; www mm R E F E A H c s R Feb. 27,1923.

COMBINED LUNCH BOX, TABLE, AND BENCH I F1] ed Nov. 4, 1921 2 sheets-sheep 2 grime lyre;

55% m wwd lntented Feb. 2'], 1923.

STAT

Application filed November 1 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN Sonnnrnn, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Butte, Silver Bow County, State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Lunch Boxes, Tables, and Benches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined lunch box, table and bench for the use of campers,

tourists or picnickers and is especially designed for use on automobile trips. The box may be made of such size as to be easily and conveniently handled and to be carried on the running board of an automobile or on the trunk rack while, containing sufficient food and refreshments for the occupants of the vehicle. Notwithstanding the fact that it is comparatively small and has a neat appearance, for instance on the running board, where it is opened and the contents is removed, the box proper with its few interior and attached parts occupying little room may be easily and quickly transformed into a table of normal height with four strong symmetrically arranged legs by simply adjusting attached parts and the cover and its attached parts may similarly be converted into a bench to sit on. The side and bottom walls of the box proper in extended position constitute the table top while the end walls divided vertically in properly adjusted position constitute the four legs and those legs are extensible. In transforming the box into a table and bench it is not necessary to add to or remove any of the attached parts except the cover and the transformation is oftected merely by adjustment and the operation of fastening means. The novel features will be more fully understood from the following description and claims taken with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the box closed;

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line.2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the tablelooking up from below;-

Figure 4 is a side view of the table partly in section;

Figure 5 is a plan view of the inner side of the top or cover with the bench legs folded; and

Figure 6 is a side view of the bench in operative position.

REUBEN SCHAEFER, OF BUTTE, MONTANA.

. j i coiannvnn LUNCH 302;, TABLE, .ann BENCH.

4;, 1921. Serial No. 512,580.

As shown in the drawings the box is rectangular in form having greater height than width and greater length than height. The box proper has side walls 10 and 11, the lower edges of which are in the plane of the upper surface of the bottom wall 12 and the inner faces of the side walls are in substantially the same planes as the edges of the bottom wall. Hinges l3 and let connect the side walls to the bottom wall and the side walls may turn outwardly from each other on those hinges until they are in alignment with the bottom wall.

Each end wall of the box is made in two similar sections with a vertical dividing line, one section being fixed or securely fastened to the bottom wall at its end and the other section being laterally movable with reference to the first section and the bottom wall. The fixed end sect-ions 15 and 16 may be secured to the bottom wall 12 by metal brackets 17 and screws 18 or by other known and suitable means. Each section furthermore has in its inner surface a dove-tailed longitudinally extending groove 19 of considerably greater width than depth. Leg extensions 20 and 21 having a thickness equal to the depth of grooves 19 fit in those grooves and thus make dovetailed longitudinally sliding connection with fixed end sections 15 and 16. They are of substantially the same length as sections 15 and 16 and have longitudinal slots 22, 28 extending from a point near one end to a point near the other end. A bolt 24 passes through. an opening in the fixed section and through the slot in the leg extension and has a wing nut 25 on its screw threaded end for clamping the fixed section and its leg extension in any longitudinally adjusted position. A notch 26 is cut in the inner ends of the leg extensions to facilitate moving it outward. along the groove when its end abuts the bottom wall. It will he noted that the fixed sections 15 and 16 abut opposite sides of the box when it is closed and may be said to be diagonally opposite each other.

The movable end sections 27 and 28 corre spend in structure and size to the fixed sections 15 and 16 but are at their lower or inner ends connected to the ends of the flat swinging arms 29 and 30 which arms are in turn pivotally connected at 31 and 32 to the bottom wall 12 by suitable means such as a bolt or screw. The arms 29 and 30 lie flat against the inner surface of the bottom 12 and when the box is closed extendtfroni their endsection to the bracket carrying the opposite fixed end section but the facing edges are outwardly inclined in refer-encetoeach other from the end carrying the movable section to the other end and thus the arms.

taper. The movable sections 27 and 28 have dove-tailed grooves corresponding to grooves 19 in the fixed sections and are so labeled in the drawing. Longitudinally slidable leg sections 33 and similar to leg sections 20 and 21- and having similar slots are mounted in the grooves in movable sections 27 and 28 and arefsiml'arly secured in adjusted position by a. bolt 24 and wing nut 25. The pivotal connect-ions of the arms 29 and 30 to the bottom wall 12 are at such points longitudinally of those arms that their inclined sides will lie parallel and close together with their free ends projecting slightly beyond the side margins of bottom wall 12 whenthey are turned on ther pivots in opposite directions through 90 as illustrated in Figure When thus turned it will be noted that the movable sections 27' and 28 with their leg sections 38 and 84- are approximately opposite each other midway of the length of the bottom wall 1 2. Metal brackets or other suitable means maybe used to secure the sections 27 and 28 to the arms 29. and 30 so as to maintain their proper relations under the strains of use.

Since the side walls 10 and 11 are hinged to the bottom wall and merely fit the edges of the end wall sections without being secured thereto it is necessary to providem'eans for preventing them from turning outward from each other when they arein the position to form the box and it is desired that they remain in that position. For this purpose hooks 35 are used at opposite ends of the box extending across it close to the end sections. These hooks are permanently pivoted to one side through eye 36 and at the other hooked end may detachably engage an eye 37 on the opposite side. F or convenience each side may also be provided with an additional eye'38 in such position that the hook may engage it and lie along that side when the sides have been turned outward from each other on their hinges.

From what has been said of the structure it will be observed that when arms 29 and 30. he parallel a'lon the bottom surface their end sections fit against and make lateral edge contact with the fixed end sections and with them form complete end closures for the bog; The side walls oi thebox when turned. to upright position make contact h the side edges oi} the end sections and areheldf in place by hooks and thus a complete box having an open top is formed ready to receive what it is desired to carry in To convert it into a table it is merely necessary to release hooks 85, turn the sides outwardly on their hinges until they lie parallel with and constitute extensions from the bottom wall 12, swing arms 29 and 30 outwardly from. each other on their pivots until they are at right angles 'to the side lines of the bottom wall and sides of course carrying their movable end sections towards the outer margins of the sides to a point approximately midway of their length, turn the wing nuts 25 to release the dove-tailed sliding leg extensions 20, 21-, 33 and: 3%, move them outwardly a uniform distance to form with the end sections the table legs, turn wing nuts 25 in the opposite direction in order to securely connect the leg extensions to their end sections and then reverse or turn upside down the table thus formed. The arms 29, 30 crossing or lappingthe joints between the bottom and side walls serve to hold them in alignment, and the four'legs formed properly support the table against tipping. The fact that the legs are adjustable in length has a decided advantage in camping or picnic-hing. where the ground on which the table is to rest may not be level. It will be noted that arms 29; and 30 resting on the bottom are thin and: occupy little room in the boxand that the extensible legs of normal length. are formed by the end sections and their substantially en'- closed sections which do not project into the box or occupy room in it. i

The cover or top wall 39 of the. box its over the upper edges of the side and end walls and is bodily removable. It may. be held in place by books 2001:. other suitable means. Two pairs of parallel'legs 41 having a length corresponding to the desired. height oi? a stool to sit on are connected-by hinges 4:2 to the under surface o'f'the cover or'top near its ends and each pair is connected at its hinged end by a cross bar. a3 so that the legs of a pair will move together; In folded position the pairs oi legs lie parallel close against the surface ot the top with the tree ends oi: one pair lapping and closely: adja cent to those of: the other pair. A catch i l pivoted at l5 may be turned to lie across the free ends of the lapping; portions 0t one. leg of each pair as shown in Figure 5 for hold ing the legs in folded position. The outer sides o1 each pair of legs is converted. to the cover or top by toggle arms arranged at an angle each being composed of two sections io-47 pivoted respectively at one end to a leg and the cover and at their other ends hinged or pivoted together at in and then provided with interengaging; means for liniiting the relative tiir'ning' in one direction. These toggle arms are preferably of such length that the pairs oi legs may turnout wardly from the cover for. somewhat more than 90 whereby the pairs of legs will" ex tend at an angle outwardly from each other from the cover downward, lVhere the'legs are moved outwardly on their hinges and the cover is reversed as shown in Figure 6 a stool having the desired height and strength is produced.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention has been shown for purposes of illustration it will be understood that it is not limited to that particular form beyond what is indicated in the claims.

Having thus described. my invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A device of the class described com prising a box having its bottom and side walls so hinged together that they may be so relatively turned as to lie in the same plane forming a table top and having end walls each comprising two parallel sections one secured to the bottom wall in fixed position and the other movable laterally in parallel relation outwardly over and in contact at one end with the surface of a side wall when said side walls are in the same plane as said bottom wall whereby said sections act as legs for the table top.

2. A device of the class described comprising a box having its bottom and side walls so hinged together that they may be so relatively turned as to lie in the same plane forming a table top and having end walls each comprising two parallel sections one secured to the bottom wall in fixed position and the other movable laterally in parallel relation outwardly over and in contact at one end with the surface of aside wall when said side walls are in the same plane as said bot tom wall whereby said sections act as legs for the table top, each end section carrying a longitudinally slidable leg extension for varying the length 01": the legs.

A device of the class described comprising a box having its bottom and side walls so hinged together that they may be so relatively turned as to lie in the same plane forming a table top and having end walls each comprising two parallel sections one secured to the bottom wall in fixed position, and the other being movable and secured to the end of an arm lying fiat against and along the bottom wall of and pivoted to said bottom wall in substantially midway position whereby it may be turned laterally to exend over the surface of the side wall when it is in the same plane as the bottom wall.

4. A device of the class described com prising a box having its bottom and side walls so hinged together that they may be so relatively turned as to lie in the same plane form ing a table top and having end walls each comprising two parallel sections one secured to the bottom wall in fixed position, and the other being movable and secured to the end of an arm lying flat against and along the bottom wall and pivoted to said bottom wall in substantially midway position whereby it may be turned laterally to extend over the surface of the side wall when'it is in the same plane as the bottom wall, a leg extension for each end section having dovetail sliding connection therewith and means for securing said end sections and extensions together in adjusted position.

5. A device of the class described comprising a box having its bottom and side walls so hinged together that they may be so relatively turned as to lie in the same plane forming a table top and end walls each composed of two symmetrical sections one fixed to the bottom wall and the other movable each of said sections being so con structed as to be adapted to serve as a leg for the table top.

6. A device of the class described comprising a box having its bottom and side walls so hinged together that they may be so relatively turned as to lie in the same plane forming a table top and end walls each composed of two symmetrical sections one fixed to the bottom wall and the other movable each of said sections being so constructed as to be adapted to serve as a leg for the table top, and means pivotally connecting said movable sections to the bottom wall near its central portion whereby they may swing out over the surface of the side walls.

7. A device of the class described comprising a box having its bottom and side walls so hinged together that they may be so rela tively turned as to lie in the same plane forming a table top and end walls each composed of two symmetrical separable parallel sections fitting each other and the side walls at their edges and the bottom wall at one end and each having mounted in a dovetailed groove in it a longitudinally movable leg extension.

8. A device of the class described comprising a box having its bottom and side walls so hinged together that they may be so relatively turned as to lie in the same plane forming a table top and end walls each composed of two symmetrical separable parallel sections fitting each other and the side walls at their edges and the bottom wall at one end and each having mounted in a dovetailed groove in it a longitudinally movable leg extension, a pair of substantially parallel arms extending along the surface of said bottom wall. substantially from end to end and pivoted thereto at their central portions for lateral turning, one section of each end wall being secured to the bottom wall and the opposite section of the other end being secured to the end of the arm on that side.

9. A device of the class described comprising a box having its bottom and side walls so hinged together that they may be so relatively turned as to lie in the same plane forming a table top and end walls each composed of two syn'n'netrical' separable parah lel sections fitting each other and the side Walls at their, edges andthe bottom Wall at oneend" andeach having mountedin a dovetailed groove in it" a longitudinally movable leg extension, a pair of substantially parallel arms extending along the surface 01'? said bottom wall substantially from end to end and pivoted thereto at thei'rcentral por-- tions for lateral turning, one section of each end" wall being secured. to the bottom Wall andthe opposite section o'f'the other end be ing secured to the end of the arm on that side, and means. adapted to detachabl'y conneot tlie'side Walls when in position forming a box.

10; A device of the class described C0111- prising a. box having its bottom and side walls. so hinged together that they may be so relatively turned asto lie in the same plane forming a table top and end Walls each composed of two symmetrical separable parallel sections fitting each other andthe side walls at their edges and the bottom all at one end and each having mounted in a. dovetailed groove in it a longitudinally movable leg extension having a longi tudinal slot, therein and a bolt connected to the end sectionpassingthrough said slot and; provided, with an adjusting nut.

11. A device of the class described comprising a boX having its bottom and side Walls sohinged together-thatthey may be so relatively turned as to lie in the same plane forming a table top andendvvalls-each com: posed of tWo symmetrical; separable parallel. sections fitting each other and the side Walls at their edges and the bottom'wall at one end andeach having mounted in a dovetailed groove in it a longitudinally movable leg extension, a detachable top: Wall or cover fitting the upper edges of: said side I and end alls tl'I1(l1'Il63:IlS"fOI' securing said cover in place.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. I

REUBEN SCHEAEFER. 

